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Boldar - God of Battle and Weapons
Boldar is the Imbringen God of Battle and Weapons, although among select circles he is also seen as the God of Iron and Strength. Depending on who is spoke to, he is referred to as the 'Herald of War', the 'Master of Battle' or the 'Chaos Incarnate'. He revels in war and conflict, desiring nothing more than to see war cover every corner of Azeroth. He is harsh, intolerant, yet extremely rewarding to those who fight in his name and do so bravely, while brutally punishing those who are lazy or weak. Boldar - God of Battle According to legend, Boldar was born when the first drops of conflict-spilled blood touched the earth of the Imbringen Islands, and that the very moment that the blood settled, Boldar burst forth from the ground, covered in dark plate armor and wielding a fiery greatsword. He is revered by many across the known world of Azeroth, mostly in the Imbringen Islands, but his faith has spread across the known world, although few would recognize it for what it truly is. As the God of Battle and Weapons, he cares little for the diversions that are presented by song and worship in taverns and cathedrals, preferring to have his songs sung on the battlefield through the clashing of steel and the spilling of blood. Raw strength and power, those are the tenants that his faith is built on, although he is also respectful of the concept of justice, as long as it is provided by the tip of a sword, rather than long-winded antics in the courts of law and order. As the concepts of Weapons and Battle do not favor the forces of good or evil, Boldar too chooses to remain neutral when it comes to various conflicts between the forces of light and darkness. In the end, he cares not for which side wins the eternal struggle, as long as there is plenty of fighting to be had and blood to be spilled. Historically it is unclear when exactly the worship of Boldar was born. Some claim it occurred long before civilizations formed on Imbringen, that he was always present, but that it was the raging wars between the Imbringen nations which created the perfect storm for his worship to thrive, while others claim he is a new deity, born from the more recent wars between Humans and Orcs. What is clear is that Boldar rose to prominence at some point in the history of the islands, and as the godlike personification of War, he became a favorite among soldiers who fought in the many wars that ravaged the islands, whether it be for blood, gold, honor or glory. Those who fight in his name are venerated champions, masters of conflict, who inspire those around them to rise to greatness, but only for as long as they live, for those that perish on the field are quickly forgotten in place of new, and more importantly living, heroes. Boldar's priests, acolytes of the Church of Iron, are all warriors in their own right, and they are firm in their belief, almost to the point of becoming zealots to his glory, for they believe that as long as there is civilization, there will be conflict and war, and it is war that they strive to be a part of, even when they have to stoke the flames themselves in order to destroy the frail construct which is peace. Were one to look at the church fortresses of Boldar's faithful, it would be easy to assume that the Church of Iron relishes in the melee, and arms and armors their followers to fight in such a manner, yet, in truth the Church of Iron does not care for how the wars they crave are fought, or what technology or weapons are used for the true focus of the Church of Iron is on the conflict that is waged and nothing else, not the reason for the conflict, the races fighting in it or even the weapons used in the fight. When Boldar takes to the field, which he is known to do when wars are fought across the known world, he loves nothing more than to be in the center of the melee, swinging his fiery greatsword and cutting down opponents as if they were nothing more than children, yet despite his love of the melee, he understands that not all battles can be fought in hand-to-hand combat and that in the various civilizations of the world there is a true need for things such as archery, siege warfare, and even stealth and assassinations. This does not, however, mean that he likes these aspects of war, for Boldar is the raw personification of the brutality of war, most of which is lost when striking from range with bows, siege weapons or magic. As the concept of battle is what he is known and worshipped for, his followers take on all shapes and sizes. Honorable knights in full plate, savage barbarians who rush into war with little but a loincloth, feral kobolds and quillboar wielding daggers or polearms and even children, should they be armed even with something as simple as a pointy fork. In Boldar's eyes, anyone who is willing to put up a fight, regardless of their chances in the fight they got themselves into, is worth swinging at. He does, however, have a code of ethics that he expects his followers to abide by and will not tolerate wild slaughters which kill innocent civilians or those who are too weak or too old to wield a blade. He will also permit those who fight and lose to surrender, showing a surprising amount of mercy for a god of war, yet, that mercy is quickly lost should the surrendering party decide to do so only so they can stab the victor in their exposed back. Of all the things that happen to please Boldar, it is to see a solder, or even better a group of soldiers, fight multiple battles over the course of a lifetime. Each battle hones the soldier, makes them stronger, more resilient and better able to fight in the next one. On the flipside of that coin, the soldier that dies in the first battle displeases him greatly and is forgotten, regardless of the great deeds of their lineage. Because he is pleased by the soldier that fights multiple battles in a lifetime he is accepting of concepts such as compromises, truces, and ceasefires, at least to an extent. He relishes in the throes of war and conflict, and so long dreary negotiations of peace do nothing for him, and he will quickly become bored and angry at such things, rather than supportive. Artistic depictions of Boldar are uncommon, to say the least, as his followers are soldiers of war, and so prefer to carve their tributes to Boldar into the flesh of their fallen enemies. However, there are specific places throughout the world, most notably some of the more regal fortress monasteries where his followers congregate, where images of Boldar can be shown, whether it be an oiled canvas, a carved statue or a stained glass mural. His holy symbol, however, can be found just about everywhere, as it consists of the symbol of a spiked gauntlet surrounded by a ring of fire. These holy symbols can be worn around the neck, but more often than not they are created during the forging of new weapons within the fortress monasteries, with the weapons being handed out to Boldar's faithful for use on the battlefield. Due to the nature of war, it is inevitable that soldiers wielding these weapons fall in battle, and their weapons are often taken to be sold for gold coins or other currencies, so it is not uncommon to see Boldar's armaments in the hands of a common mercenary or resting in a merchant's store. Boldar, as a deity is more than just a myth, and he has on more than one occasion shown favor and disfavor to those who have earned either his praise or his scorn. Those who earn his favor often discover this through looking at their weapons or armor, for a champion blessed by Boldar will have their blades and armor be completely unbreakable for a time, and spill blood as effortlessly as a fatal cut from the sharpest razor. By comparison, those who earn his disfavor have found their armor to fall apart, even when made from materials which are extremely durable and resistant to wear. Legends tell of warriors who have earned the scorn of Boldar finding their armor falling apart while still on their bodies, leaving them vulnerable when the killing blow is struck. While those who have been blessed have been known to suffer blows that would kill most men, only to have the soldier shrug off the damage as if they were attacked by a rogue mosquito. The Church of Iron To worship Boldar is to worship absolutes, for there is no middle ground when it comes to his worship. You are either a hero or a debased coward; you either face your enemy with pride or hide away in shame and fear. All that is asked of the Church of Iron is that the faithful constantly fight in any battle to honor their god. This battle can take the form of a skirmish or duel if there is no war that can be fought in, or even a mock battle for casual amusement can qualify in a worst-case scenario. Of course, war is the best option, so many faithful of the Church of Iron, if not fighting in a war, will actively try to start one through agitation or even manipulation. The worshippers of Boldar take on many roles in society, but more often than not, they can be found working as soldiers, outlaws, brigands, mercenaries or even raiders. Those who follow him are often, violent or live violent lives and care little for the laws of men, which means they are prone to killing who they please or taking what they wish; this means, more often than not, the followers of Boldar are far eviler than they are good, although exceptions can be found throughout the known world. Because of this tendency for violence and aggressive personalities, it is not uncommon to see fights break out between the faithful of the church, though such fights are rarely fought to the death, except for when the faithful clash on the field of battle; most of the time these fights are used as a tool to show oneself as dominant over another, to claim treasure, to impress lovers, or just for the sake of entertainment. Because of what Boldar represents he is one of the more popular deities, especially in the Imbringen regions of Inferex and Khemesh, although his faith can be found across the entirety of Azeroth, even if it is not known by the masses. Where there is war, there are the faithful of Boldar, and they have made appearances in the regions of the world where all major conflicts have panned out over the years, including the Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Northrend, Pandaria, and even the Broken Isles and other island regions of Zuldazar and Kul Tiras. Because the roles of the church fill the ranks of common adventurers more often than not, it can be difficult to spot the faithful of the Church of Iron, but if one were to look closely at the conduct of these men and women, it wouldn't be too difficult to spot them especially while they perform their holy rites, which can take the form of ceremonial reenactments of past battles or tests of strength or bravery, often accompanied by the beating of drums and encouraging shouts and cheers. Outside of battle, Boldar and his servants do not care much about the concept of marriage or familial bonds. It is known by both Boldar and the faithful that such things are ultimately necessary in order to ensure that there are new generations of faithful to serve, but how that generation is created matters little, whether it is done from a marriage, a random coupling, a polygamous relationship or even done by force. The concept of love is also one that is respected, but not encouraged, for it is seen as a weakness by the Church, but it is also seen as a gateway to passions which may ultimately take men and women into the conflict of war. In communities where Boldar's faith is popular, it is easy to spot the couples that are devoted to him, for their relationships more often than not involve loud arguments, violence or the throwing of various items, both small and large. Often these couples come together as a result of a challenge, with either man or woman swearing to Boldar that they would only mate or marry the warrior that could beat them in single combat. In these cases, when such matches are met, the resulting union is both destructive and powerful, for a pair of Boldar's worshippers who are linked in such a way will often fight intensely for each other, making each individual stronger than they would be if they were fighting alone. The Temples and Shrines of Boldar Boldar's temples are not cathedrals as one might expect from a religious faith, but rather fortress monasteries which are built to hold off intense sieges. Often constructed from red stone or black steel, the walls of these monasteries are thick and solid with gates made from the strongest metals ensuring that only those who are welcome within the monasteries are allowed inside. Towers can be found dotting the length of the walls, each with siege weaponry set at the top, be it cannons or trebuchets and spikes along the length of each section of the wall ensure that no individual can climb up over the walls easily unless they wish to tear themselves open in the process. Inside the monasteries, the faithful have all the facilities they need, with training grounds, stables, blacksmith and engineering forges and even resting quarters found within. Each monastery also has a fully stocked armory filled with weapons and armor, most of which is scavenged from the dead, but then repaired, improved and kept clean so that it can be used by the faithful when they go to war. Because the armories of these monasteries are always needing more weapons and armor, battlefield scavengers will often make their way to such places first to sell the salvage they've recovered, and this is especially true in nations where the selling of armor or weapons that belonged to the local military forces is prohibited. Stolen armor and weapons can also be found within, as the priests who maintain the armories do not keep records of where the armor or weapons they have come from, or who donated them, which means that on more than one occasion a faithful servant of Boldar has been arrested for wearing stolen armor or carrying a stolen weapon that has then been identified by the true owner or if the owner is dead, the owner's family. Outside of the monasteries, it is also possible to find shrines dedicated to Boldar, although these are easy to overlook unless one knows exactly what to look for. A standard shrine to Boldar consists of a pile of stones or scrap metal, often capped with a broken helm or rusted sword which is jammed into the pile wherever it will fit. These are often raided by scavengers, but the ones that do remain often mark the graves of fallen champions or they mark the sites of large battles where numerous soldiers lost their lives and soaked the ground with their blood. The Priests Role To be a worshipper of Boldar is to recognize a simple, inevitable fact, that fame and glory, the things that warriors strive to achieve, are temporary and cannot be maintained forever. That one must rely on themselves in all things, and that while the aid of allies is accepted, one can only prove themselves to Boldar through actions done alone, and in the moment, lest one focus on reliving past glories. As one might expect from a church dedicated to battle and warfare, the Church of Iron is one that values strength and power over age or experience, and you can be sure that if you encounter a 'senior' priest of Boldar that he or she has reached that position by beating the living snot out of their competitors until they stood far above all others. This leads to interesting encounters when multiple 'senior' priests congregate for meetings, for it usually starts with posturing, preening and threats, and ends with a large brawl with the victor being the 'most senior' of the senior priests. During these battles, the use of underhanded tactics such as the use of poisons, regardless of the strength or effect of the toxin, is considered to be dishonorable, but spells that enhance the abilities or strength of the priest, his weapons, or his armor are considered fair game. Once a hierarchy has been established, the title that the lead priest is given varies depending on the culture of the region. The most common, and thus most accepted titles are more often than not 'commander','captain', or 'chieftain'. Priests of Boldar are encouraged to earn fame, glory, and riches while they serve the Church and can do this in a variety of ways. In more aggressive cultures, such as the regions controlled by the Orcs, Trolls or Vrykul, such actions often consist of launching raids on nearby settlements that belong to other tribes or kingdoms. However, in more civilized lands, the Priests of Boldar can often be seen earning their fame and riches by serving as mercenaries or bodyguards to the rich and famous, although criminal enterprise, such as brigandry is also commonplace. A Priests of Boldar will endeavor to enter combat at least once daily, although the more times the better, even if that combat is only a mock duel against a fellow priest. This means that in especially lawless places, the Priests of Boldar are often appointed as local guardsmen because while their jobs are all but impossible to enforce, the constant battles to attempt such a job makes it worth the effort in Boldar's eyes. The Chuch of Iron, as with all other churches in Imbringen, has its own Inquisition, and as with all inquisitions, the Inquisitors of Boldar have a very focused duty. Known as the Breakers of Frail Metals, these Inquisitors have one primary duty, to chase down and kill deserters who flee from the field of battle, along with any soldier who dares to turn on their fellows. While one might expect an inquisitor of Boldar to do so during the middle of a battle should the line break, this is not actually the case, for they will wait until the battle is over before they begin their chase. This is for two reasons, the first is that they do not wish to be seen as fleeing the battle themselves, lest they dishonor Boldar, and the second is to give the deserter a bit of a headstart, which makes the chase much more challenging for the Inquisitor. Out of all the Inquisitions, it is the faithful of Boldar that instill the most fear, and so when it becomes common knowledge that an Inquisitor of Boldar is in the region, the battles that are fought in the region are often done to the death. Clothing of the Faithful The faithful of Boldar often identify themselves through their arms and armor that they choose to wear. As the greatsword is the favored weapon of Boldar, many of the faithful choose to wield a similar weapon, provided that they have the strength to do so, and most garb themselves in metal armor, which is either red in color or marked with the symbol of Boldar should it be of a different color. Beneath their armor, should it ever be removed, many of the faithful have scarred bodies, as even the most skilled fighters cannot escape being wounded in combat. However, while the scars that they do have vary in size, number, and seriousness, the one thing that is common among all the faithful is that every single one of them bears their scars as marks of honor and pride. The Holy Texts Boldar's faith has a single sacred text, The Tome of Iron, which not only teaches the reader about war and tactics but also includes poetry and verse surrounding the various heroes that have served Boldar in the past. This tome is memorized to heart by every priest that joins the clergy, as those who make mistakes when reciting it are beaten by the elders every time they make a mistake until they can recite each verse and poem perfectly. Celebrated Holidays Unlike other martial faiths, such as Aella's church of True Justice, which keeps detailed records the dates of multiple victories, which they then celebrate as holy days, Boldar's church has no interest in past battles and only the ones that will take place in the future. Occasionally one of the faithful will erect a shrine to honor Boldar, but these are usually not well-maintained, although the occasionally wandering servant of the faithful may rearrange some rocks or metal around the shrine if they happen to come across one in a sorry state. Aphorisms Boldar's faithful do not care for fancy, long-winded speeches, so when it comes to sayings among the faithful and their meaning, they all have two things in common; they are short and to the point. Better to Die for Glory than Live in Shame: As a god of battle, Boldar is a practical god, and he is firm in his belief that his soldiers should not throw their lives away for the sake of spilling blood, especially when the battles they are involved in are unwinnable, but when a battle can be won, and the faithful flee the field, this is as dishonorable as an act can get. Surrender is the alternative to fleeing, for at least if one surrenders they have the freedom to redeem themselves in a future battle, but should one flee from the field, the only fitting punishment for their transgression is that they should be cut down before they bring shame to others in the future. More often than not, this is an act that is performed by the Inquisitors of the faithful, a task that they enjoy immensely when the opportunities are given. Cowards will Flee the Field, But a Warrior Retreats: Many may say that these two concepts, to flee and retreat, are one in the same, for how often has a battle been lost by those who flee while shouting 'retreat' to their fellows. Yet for those who know battle as intimately as the faithful of Boldar, there is a very clear distinction between the two. Those that retreat, do so in order to survive so that they can fight again in the future, however, those that flee do so because they are afraid and wish to avoid fighting in the future. This subtle difference is extremely important because while Boldar's faithful do not expect warriors to throw their lives away needlessly, they do expect the soldiers on the field to have the spine to finish the job they started, regardless of the outcome. Will You Fight?: This is an extremely simple phrase but it strikes at the very core of what it means to be faithful to Boldar. If a peasant or young boy wants to join an armed force, be it the clergy of Boldar or a trained army, a priest of Boldar will ask this question. If an injured soldier struggles with a wound, his commander will ask this question. Before a decisive battle, an army commander will ask this question. Note that there is very specific wording to this saying, for the question is not “Can you fight?” but “Will you fight?". For those that will fight are honored by Boldar and his faithful, whereas those that 'can' fight, and choose not to, are scored or forgotten, often times both. Relations with Other Faiths For the most part, Boldar has little interest in the affairs of other gods, as the politicking between the deities is a waste of his time in almost all cases, especially since he has a hostile relationship with most of them, having fought each of them at one time or another. Because he is always seeking out the next challenge he has fought other deities, demon lords, dragons and even particularly skilled warriors, especially if they serve as champions of other deities. Because of his violent nature, the other gods all plan for the day when Boldar will pick a fight with them again, and for the most part the deities are crafty enough to avoid such fights, as with the exception of a few, most would lose in a one on one battle with the warrior god. To avoid fighting, most of these deities, especially the very intelligent ones such as Erelia and Vukaka, will promise Boldar vast battles and unequaled challenges if they fight alongside them, rather than against them. As wars between the deities are commonplace due to their clashing personalities, it is often the allegiance of Boldar which sways the outcome of the battlefield, although such allegiances have a habit of changing during the conflicts that are fought, for one reason or another. Of all the deities that exist in Imbringen, Boldar is known to be on decently friendly terms with Uvthar, the God of Slavery and Tyranny, not because there is some shared philosophy between the two, as slaves rarely make good warriors, save for those who fight in the gladiatorial arenas, but because the portion of Abyssus that Uvthar rules over holds the Infernal Forges, which churn out some of the most deadly weapons of war that have ever been seen on Imbringen, and it is these weapons which are lorded over by Boldar and his faithful. He also respects and acknowledges Talhida, known as the Pirate Queen among multiple crews on Azeroth, even though she is a lesser deity, for her individual strength and devotion to battle on the high seas is the stuff of legend. As for the other deities, Boldar is either unimpressed or outright hostile. Erelia, the Goddess of Magic, is seen with mixed feelings by Boldar, for while she prefers to rely on her magic rather than her physical strength, the destructive power of the magic she does wield is well known an respected by the war god. There is, however, no hiding the raw contempt and distaste he has for Teremis, the god of Murder and Secrets, for the path of Teremis is filled with assassination, poison, and unwilling death, all of which is extremely distasteful in his eyes. Another deity, if he can be called that, that Boldar respects is the Horseman of War. This creates a bit of confusion among the ranks, for depending on where you travel in Azeroth there are multiple 'horsemen' that have dominion over War, but to Boldar, the respect is equal among all, at least to an extent, because as the god of battle, he sees the Horseman of War as somewhat of a rival, because while they both strive for the same overall goal, which is to stoke the fires of conflict, they both do so for vastly different reasons. Boldar's Realm: The Eternal Battlefield As the god of battle and weapons, Boldar has chosen to make his 'home' if you could call it that, a massive battlefield in the middle of the dividing line between Elysium and Abyssus, with multiple large, fortified keeps standing tall amidst often daily sieges that occur across the domain Boldar calls home. At the end of each day, many of the keeps lay in ruins, and yet by the dawn of the next, each keep stands as it did before, ready for another day of brutal and bloody warfare. Disclaimer Boldar is based heavily off of the god Gorum from the Pathfinder Universe. Category:Gods Category:Duchy of Avern Category:Imbringen Islands